Giving Grace

I've been thinking on grace lately and God has been speaking to my heart.  How He gives us grace daily and how we should give grace as well.  The definition of grace is the free and unmerited favor of God.  Free - undeserved - favor.  Our culture struggles with acceptance and worth and yet our God freely gives it to anyone and everyone.  I struggle with giving grace.  I can look back at the last few years and pat myself on the back for giving grace in some big ways and then turn around and judge someone who is living different than me in little ways.  That doesn't say much about my ability to give grace. 

We had a dog name Grace.  She was the epitome of grace.  A mix between a lab and a dachshund and no matter what she loved her family.  She didn't care how long between petting sessions or playing sessions - if you walked out the door she was giving grace.  We miss her terribly in our house and it's a vivid reminder of what grace is about.  If we don't have grace we miss it immensely.  We feel the judgment and ties of life deeply and when we just turn to the Father, He is there waiting to give grace. 

He forgives so easily and loves so freely.  All we have to do is seek Him.  Daily seek His grace.  And when we do then we can give grace so much easier.  Some situations - specifically in regards to relationships - broken trust, broken hearts, broken promises - seem to be impossible places for grace and forgiveness - but God.  Because only with God can we give grace in those situations where it seems like anger and bitterness and revenge would be better.  I know personally about this - I've experienced loss and hurt and broken trust and it haunts my every step in dealing with people.  But I also know God and every day that I receive grace I am more inclined to give grace. 

I'm also learning not to pat myself on the back about giving grace.  Because although one moment it seems easy - the next seems more challenging.  I am no better or no worse at giving grace than anyone else.  I am just a broken follower striving to be like Christ.  Some days I really struggle with grace and wonder how I deserve to be free in Christ.  I am surely not as good as someone else or maybe I'm a little better than someone else but then I'm gently reminded that no matter how I think I stack up to someone else - I don't know their story and even more I shouldn't care how I compare with anyone else.  I should only care how I compare to Christ.  Am I more like Him today than I was yesterday?  That should be my only comparison and my only goal. 

As Christmas approaches I'm looking forward to the time with family and friends.  It should be a celebration - an anticipation of the reason that we can have hope - Grace.  Grace wrapped in a blanket and laid in a manger.  Grace wrapped in skin to walk among us and die for us so that we can be free and we can give grace.  Learning to be like that little baby, willing to die for those who don't deserve grace.  Willing to love like Christ and not get caught up in the stress that so often comes with the holidays.  That's what Christmas is about - the hope of Grace. 

John 1:16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.